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I’ve worked in the wealth planning industry for over 30 years and over that time I’ve come to understand that there are some important precursor traits that financially successful people utilize to enhance the probability of financial success. Be sure to watch this three part video series to find out what these traits are!

In my over 30 years working in finance, I have noticed many patterns and trends in the individuals I have dealt with professionally. In this video, I unpacked a few key traits of the wealthy and successful people I have had the pleasure of working with.

One – Get your sleep. Just as a healthy diet and regular exercise are necessary and essential for good health, so is sleep. Cutting back on snooze-time can lead to an out-of-control appetite (some studies show that people who sleep less are more likely to be overweight), a greater risk for coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So try to get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, safety, and optimum performance.

Two – Rise and shine — and eat. Breakfast gets your body’s metabolism going again after a night of sleeping, and gives you the gradual and adequate energy you need to get through the morning. You don’t have to eat snacks to supplement your energy needs and expenditure. It doesn’t have to be complicated too. Microwave instant oatmeal, topping it with skim milk or yogurt and berries; in minutes, you’ll enjoy filling fiber with a protein and vitamin boost. Hard-boiled eggs, whole-grain toast with almond butter or a fruit and yogurt smoothie are also quick, nutritious choices.

Three – Wash your hands. From banishing cold and flu germs to preventing foodborne illnesses, frequent hand-washing is one of the smartest preventive habits you can adopt. Wash your hands with warm water and soap before handling food, eating, or touching your face, and after using the bathroom or coming into contact with potentially contaminated objects such as doorknobs, toys, and menus.

Four – Know your family health history. Your family’s medical history can give you valuable information about your health. Many diseases, such as heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, and depression, can have a genetic component. The more you know about the health of your relatives, the better informed you’ll be about your risk factors and how to manage them.

Five – Eat mindfully. One of the significant differences between people who successfully manage their weight and people who regularly struggle is mindful eating. Turn off the TV or computer, sit down at a table with your food on a plate, and focus on eating. Savor the smell and enjoy the taste. Put your fork down between bites, and take the time to enjoy your meal. Chances are you will eat less and feel more satisfied.

Six – Add variety to your diet. Wild salmon and sardines are just a couple of the fish that provide heart-healthy fats such as omega-3, which lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and help preserve your cognitive function. Aim for two servings a week; more than that may add too much mercury to your system. On occasion, indulge in a glass of red wine (or any alcoholic beverage) or a bite of dark chocolate that contains at least 75% cocoa-both contain antioxidants that can benefit your heart. Also, both may relax blood vessels, which reduces clotting somewhat and makes it easier for blood to get to the heart. And finally, try to eat 5-7 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, and minimize your intake of carbohydrates.

Seven – Volunteer. In addition to helping others, volunteers themselves often benefit from “giving back” to the communities in which they live and work and enjoy a rewarding sense of doing something good for someone else. As a volunteer, you gain valuable experience, learn new skills, make friends and meet others who share the same interests. 8Maintain strong family and social networks. Research has shown that people who have family and friends they can turn to for support and companionship may be healthier and less likely to experience depression than those who spend most of their time alone. Looking for new friends? Join a club, take a class or volunteer.

Nine – Take a time out. At least once a day, close your eyes and focus on taking ten deep, full breaths. Inhale through your nose, feel your diaphragm expand, and exhale through your mouth. Deep, focused breathing slows your heart rate, calms the body and, as a result, calms your mind and reduces stress. Mix in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week as well. Choose something you enjoy and will stick to. Recent studies found that brisk walking is just as good for your heart as jogging, or try biking or swimming. You needn’t do it all at once; two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minutes blocks work equally well.

Ten – Drink more water to prevent constipation, dehydration, and other related diseases. Whether you drink bottled, filtered or tap, water helps keep your cells hydrated, flushes out toxins and prevents dehydration. Tea, juices, and sports drinks count, too, but watch out for added sugar, artificial flavorings, and caffeine, all of which can detract from the benefits.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the podcast. If you want to help your staff or teams enhance professional and personal productivity, be sure to contact us. We would love to start a conversation.

You can download the free eBook, The Resilient Professional at the end of this post.

Resolve any unfinished personal issues this month. If 2017 is going to be amazing, you’ll need to drive it forward in a focused manner. Unresolved issues sap energy and create a distraction. Take action to resolve conflicts with people who support you. Look inward to determine where you have conflicted with yourself. Set time aside to consider, commit and be accountable for your preferred future

Take stock of all your opportunities. As soon as the year starts, you’ll likely get right into daily work patterns that went on hiatus during the holidays. If buried in the day to day, you may gloss over great opportunities only visible from a high level. Use the holiday down time to reflect, and to make a list of every potential opportunity that can improve your life and business.

List three obstacles you can reasonably eliminate. Many of life’s obstacles aren’t complicated or even difficult to overcome, but they do require focus and commitment. Start by honestly assessing 2016 to determine who or what got in the way of your success. Chances are a few of these same obstacles are threatening your happiness in 2017 as well. Pick three that you can work on over the next 90 days and get a jump on them. Start with the obstacles where you have the most control: your bad habits.

List five people you are committed to meet. Somewhere out there are people who can help you. They may be role models, mentors, referral sources or even new partners. These people can help take your performance and rewards to a whole new level. The only reason they don’t do it now is that you haven’t built a relationship of mutual value.

Identify critical skills to master. Most of us are the happiest learning. Learning a challenging skill boosts confidence and creates a sense of accomplishment. Figure out a couple of new skills that will increase your profile and usefulness to those around you. Budget the time in 2017 to ensure you have the necessary hours to make it happen.

Schedule calendar time in January with those you value the most. Everyone is busy during the holidays. End-of-year commitments, holiday parties, and travel to see family can all keep people from having quality one-on-one time. There are people in your life who bring you joy, learning, and growth. Time with them is precious and sparse. Reach out to them today and get a January lunch on the calendar before year-end.

Plan an Amazing New Year’s Eve. There’s a good reason New Year’s Eve is the only holiday celebrated by nearly everyone on the same day worldwide, regardless of nationality, race or religion. It is a celebration of new beginnings.

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the podcast. If you want to help your staff or teams enhance professional and personal productivity, be sure to contact us. We would love to start a conversation.

You can download the free eBook, The Resilient Professional at the end of this post.

In large measure focus defines the success rate of change or the goal achievement that we will experience in life. Our ability to marshal attention has a huge impact on our life success and our ability to use our skills and talents. Some of the first formal studies on focus took place during the second world war. One of the first findings was that radar operators had the ability to stay vigilant and alert for many hours, even if they were experiencing sleep deprivation – as long as their motivation was high. If The motivation was low, they nodded off very quickly. The link between attention and focus ripples through almost everything we seek to accomplish. Typically, we only notice the endpoints of attention, not what’s happening during attention. Our attention is engaged in a myriad of activities: comprehension, memory, learning, sensing how were feeling, reading the emotions of others, and interacting with others smoothly. Attention is under appreciated and usually goes unnoticed. And yet, attention has a huge impact on our total experience of life.

So what are some ways you can marshal your attention? Here are a few ideas to get you started with your list.

Make sure that you’re getting enough rest. Nothing destroys our ability to pay attention and to focus then burning the candle at both ends.

If you haven’t done this for a long time, book some time in your calendar to get refocused on your life purpose, your vision for the future and critical missions in your life. If you believe strongly in something, you will experience an increased ability to focus

Practice the principle of oscillation. Be a student of you. Understand those times of the day that your focusing powers are at the maximum. Make sure you book high leverage activities into these times. Take periodic breaks through your day to increase your energy and focusing ability. It could be an afternoon workout, a walk around the block or simply deep breathing

At the beginning of each day learn to focus your mental and emotional energy by reflecting on the most important projects and tasks that you need to accomplish through the day. Throughout the day be sure to review this list to maintain your attention and at the end of each day reflect on your accomplishments and jot down those tasks that you need to work on the following day. This simple habit will help to improve your focusing powers immeasurably

There are many other strategies to pursue, but hopefully, these ideas will get you started. To take a deep dive into the strategy, be sure to download the free e-book the resilient professional. And reach out to us if you would like to begin a conversation about how we can deliver customized training for your teams.